Le Havre v Auxerre: survival fight as out-of-form hosts meet play-off strugglers | OneFootball

Le Havre host Auxerre in Ligue 1 on Sunday at Stade Océane, a relegation six-pointer with the hosts trying to halt a slide and the visitors currently occupying the relegation play-off place.

Le Havre have won the last three Ligue 1 meetings between the sides, including a 1-0 success away in October. That record offers a timely boost for a team with one point from their last five league games. Auxerre arrive off a 3-0 home win over Brest after a run of two draws and two defeats.

Availability could shape selection. Le Havre list Abdoulaye Toure and Issa Soumaré as injured. Auxerre are without suspended goalkeeper Donovan Léon, while Oussama El Azzouzi, Lasso Coulibaly and Yvan Zaddy are injured.

Expect fine margins. Both teams have scored 22 league goals and each has seven clean sheets this season. Neither has found the net from set pieces so far, but Le Havre do deliver volume from wide areas, attempting 455 open-play crosses at 20.88% accuracy. Auxerre's rate is 18.60% from 301. Lassine Sinayoko leads the visitors' threat with six league goals, while Le Havre's six-goal forward Soumaré is sidelined.

A home win would lift Le Havre to 30 points and could open daylight to the drop zone. Victory for Auxerre would take them to 25 points and strengthen their push to climb out of the relegation play-off position. A draw would keep the pressure on both in the survival battle.